Mariana Nabais

Neanderthal Small Prey Consumption in Central Portugal

It has been widely accepted
that a broadening of the human diet occurred in MIS 1 (c. 11.5 ka cal BP), when
the climate became warmer and more species were available to human populations which,
consequently, underwent a demographic increase. However, faunal assemblages
from Gruta da Figueira Brava, Gruta Nova da Columbeira and Gruta da Oliveira,
in Central Portugal, dating from c. 90 to 35 ka BP (MIS 5 to MIS 3), show
evidence of human consumption of small prey and of a diversified Neanderthal
diet far earlier. Such data shed new light on the so-called Broad Spectrum Revolution
and the putative role of an over-specialized diet in Neanderthal extinction.

Other aspects of Neanderthal
economy will be assessed, namely those concerning mobility and seasonality. As
the three caves are located at different distances from the sea, the existence
of migratory movements between inland and coastal occupations can be
investigated.